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ANNUAL REPORTFISCAL YEAR 2016
ANNUAL REPORT FY2016
VPIT/CIO Message ..............................................................................................................................................3
Who We Are and What We Do ......................................................................................................................4
Accomplishments
Projects That Improve the Academic and Administrative Experience ..............................5
Projects That Improve the Way Mason Does Business ............................................................8
Projects That Improve Infrastructure .............................................................................................13
Projects That Improve Information Security .............................................................................. 16
FY2016 by the Numbers ................................................................................................................................. 18
FY2017 Goals .......................................................................................................................................................21
Strategic Planning .............................................................................................................................................23
VPIT/CIOMESSAGE
3
It was a transformational year for Information Technology Services (ITS). We concentrated our efforts on improving areas identified by the Mason community and on working together as “One ITS” to develop a strategic plan and begin to forge a culture of using technology to make it easier for the Mason community to do its work.
Special thanks to the Information Technology Governance Group (ITGG), Faculty Senate Technology Policy Committee (FSTPC), Technology Leadership Council (TLC), Systems Administrator Leadership Team (SALT), and senior administration, whose support and partnership made progress possible.
We will continue to align with Mason’s strategic priorities and use our FY2017 goals to achieve our strategic objectives. We will develop metrics to improve transparency and measure progress. We will redesign services and our website to make it easier for Mason community members to understand and access information technology services.
We continue to focus on and build services for students, faculty, and staff, and are engaged in a number of collaborative projects with Mason colleges, schools, institutes, and departments to advance the collective experience.
Please enjoy our annual report highlighting our progress in fiscal year 2016.
Sincerely,
Marilyn T. Smith Vice President and CIO
OUR TEAMS• Academic Strategies• Enterprise Applications• Enterprise Infrastructure• IT Security• Learning Support Services• Network Engineering & Technology• Strategic Business Operations
WHO WE AREInformation Technology Services (ITS) is Mason’s central IT organization. We provide IT resources, systems, and services to the university community. Seven teams comprise ITS, employing over 400 full-time, part-time, and wage employees.
WHAT WE DOGROUNDED BY OUR MISSIONITS works transparently to driveexcellence in teaching, research, and administrative operations
WHY WE DO ITENLIGHTENED BY OUR VISIONTo provide superior technology and collaborative solutions that inspire life-changing learning and success for our students and the entire Mason community
ALIGNED WITH OUR PRINCIPLES• Listen to our customers and engage with
our partners to align resources• Incorporate life cycle planning to
develop sustainable services• Value our people by encouraging their
professional growth, promoting well-being, and recognizing excellence
• Ensure that information technology assets are protected and monitored, to reduce university risk
• Deliver solutions that catalyze student success
Providing services and support that help make Mason great
SERVICES• Aquia Data Center • Business Intelligence • Computer & Software Resources• Customer Support• GMU-TV • Email & Telecom• Infrastructure & Network• Patriot Tech• Project Management• Web Content Management
SUPPORT• Application Integration• Blackboard & Collaborate• Distance Education• Enterprise Applications • IT Security • ITS Support Center• STAR Lab & CLUB• Technology Enhanced Classrooms• Videoconferencing & Telepresence• Virtual Computing Labs
HOW WE DO ITGUIDED BY OUR VALUES• Teamwork• Respect• Integrity• Communication• Innovation
Information Technology Services
4
PROJECTS THAT IMPROVE THE ACADEMIC AND
ADMINISTRATIVE EXPERIENCE
• Supported Request for Proposal (RFP) process for selection of online education partner (Wiley)
• Partnered in Student Experience Redesign project
• Refreshed Innovation Hall classrooms and completed third floor Makerspace
• Improved Fenwick Library audio/visual capabilities
• Upgraded Blackboard Learning Management System and increased storage
• Increased faculty Blackboard course usage from previous year (from 66% to 73%)
• Updated Mobile Mason and increased usage
• Implemented Kaltura’s CaptureSpace tool
• Implemented Lynda.com
• Decommissioned Skillport
• Developed GMU-TV Roadmap
• Implemented new graduate admissions system
• Began implemention of the Student Success collaborative project
5
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
GMU-TV Studio B Redesign
Studio B is GMU-TV’s studio space dedicated to
developing content for academic courses, live webinars,
and training materials for administrative units. Although
in use for more than 10 years, the studio had never been
refurbished. To do so, GMU-TV spoke with its faculty
clients, deans, and instructional designers to better
understand the needs and what an ideal teaching
studio should look like. After evaluating feedback from
stakeholders, GMU-TV redesigned the space to be
multi-functional with reduced setup time, and requiring
no more than three people to produce content. The
redesigned studio supports Mason’s strategic goals of
innovation and accessibility.
6
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
Innovation Hall Renovation
As part of the collaborative project between the Office
of the Provost, Facilities, and ITS, five classrooms were
converted from traditional, fixed spaces with rows, to a
variety of Active Learning Classrooms (ALCs) that pilot
different classroom designs and support flexible, active
learning. A sixth classroom will pilot a new design
that allows faculty to have all students online with
university-supported software or “hide” the provided
computers and have students work in teams.
7
• Selected vendor for Banner study through an RFP process
• Implemented Business Intelligence (BI) reporting for new budget model, INTO reporting, and admissions reporting
• Completed upgrade to BI platform (MicroStrategy)
• Selected Mason web Content Management System (CMS) and web hosting provider
• Implemented new CMS (Drupal)
• Upgraded the COEUS Grant Management System (with the Office of Sponsored Programs)
• Implemented centralized graduate admissions (Hobson’s Radius and AppReview)
• Redesigned online deposit application (with Office of Admissions)
• Enhanced the Travel Reimbursement System (TRS)
• Integrated new Virginia Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system (Cardinal Project)
• Migrated active data calendar to managed hosting
• Supported the redesign of the Mason website
8
PROJECTS THATIMPROVE THE WAY
MASON DOES BUSINESS
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
Integration with the Virginia Enterprise Resource Planning System
This year, the Commonwealth of Virginia upgraded its financial
system to an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. As a
state institution, Mason was required to build two-way integration
with the Commonwealth’s new system. Mason Fiscal Services put
together a plan called the Cardinal Project to accomplish this goal.
Together with ITS, they built two-way integration between Mason
Administrative Systems including Banner and the new state ERP
system, which made Mason fully compliant with
state requirements.
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
Lynda.com
Mason’s partnership with Lynda.com provides free and
unlimited online training to Mason students, faculty,
and staff. The online subscription library offers more
than 2,000 videos on a broad range of subjects,
including business skills, photography, music, video
editing and production, animation, and web design and
development with new courses added weekly.
9
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
Student Wireless Assistance Team
After receiving feedback from students regarding wireless
connectivity in the Johnson Center (JC), ITS consulted with an
outside vendor to evaluate the situation. Based on the vendor’s
recommendations, ITS made changes to infrastructure in the JC
to improve the wireless network. ITS also instituted a hands-on
wireless troubleshooting and support kiosk in the JC. Support
Center analysts, Student Resident Technicians (ResTechs), and
NET engineers were available at the kiosk to answer questions
and make adjustments to users’ computers and mobile devices.
The pilot SWAT kiosk, which ran from March to the end of the
spring semester, helped 657 customers with technology-related
concerns. Data showed that most wireless problems were not due
to infrastructure and were resolved quickly by changing
the configuration or updating the wireless driver on user
devices. The SWAT kiosk will continue throughout FY2017.
10
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
Business Intelligence (BI) for Enrollment Management
The Business Intelligence Group of ITS (the team that provides a
variety of software tools and applications to help Mason groups
manage their data) developed a dashboard and reports to support
the reporting needs of the Division for Enrollment Management
and its supported users. These tools provide the Division, which
supports admissions reporting, easier access to the data it needs
to compile and create comprehensive student data reports that its
users can access directly, a significant advancement in the delivery
of student data. Before the tool, the Division had to compile
individual reports and email them to users on a weekly basis.
11
PROJECT
SPOTLIGHT
ProPlus for Faculty & Staff
This year, Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus was made available
to all Mason employees at no cost. In partnership with Microsoft,
Mason provides each employee with the latest version of Microsoft
Office to use on their personal (non Mason-owned) computers
and mobile devices. Each employee may install Office on up to five
(non Mason-owned) computers and five mobile devices.
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
Off Campus Management of Apple Devices (Casper Suite) Users with Mac laptops and other Apple devices frequently travel
off campus. Now with the newly deployed Casper Suite, ITS can
proactively manage the entire lifecycle of these Apple devices
from anywhere. This tool enables ITS to deploy and maintain
software, respond to security threats, distribute settings, and
analyze inventory data whether the devices are on or off campus.
Employees at Mason can self-enroll their Mason-owned Mac
devices and be assured that they will be kept up-to-date, no matter
where they are or when they use them.
12
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
Data Mart Infrastructure
ITS improved its Data Mart infrastructure, a subject-oriented archive that
stores data and uses the retrieved set of information to assist and support the
requirements of Mason business offices or academic departments. New tools
in the infrastructure enable users to take snapshots of data that can be used in
a variety of ways including budget model reporting and student point in time
reporting. The new tools are also a pre-requisite for other future Data Marts for
student accounts and financial aid, which will be built during future phases.
PROJECTS THATIMPROVE INFRASTRUCTURE
• Upgraded network equipment in 17 buildings
• Completed Wi-Fi improvements in 18 buildings
• Implemented Office 365 ProPlus for faculty and staff
• Upgraded to Oracle 12c Data Base Management System and Fusion Middleware
• Improved access control for departmental Windows workstations
• Completed application assessment for Windows 10
• Upgraded software tools to monitor equipment racks and equipment components in the Data Center.
• Reconfigured cable TV
• Changed telephony providers for improved performance and functionality
• Upgraded the Disaster Recovery Site Network
13
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
Redesign of Disaster Recovery Site Network
Network Engineering and Technology, with support from Enterprise
Systems and Messaging, redesigned the networks and upgraded
equipment at Mason’s disaster recovery site. This redesign ensures
the network and its backup solutions remain highly reliable. The
redesign improves how the network operates so that Mason can
stay better connected. The enhancements add more resiliency to
the network as well as the routing and switching electronics in the
direct recovery facility. It also allowed ITS to build a new endpoint
at the Science and Technology Campus.
14
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
Securing Networks
Network Engineering worked to move users off public
networks and onto private IP networks, separated from
the public network by a firewall. Behind the firewall are
all wired systems on any campus, plus the department’s
remote access space divided into two parts; one for
faculty or staff systems and one for student, guest,
classroom, and lab systems.
15
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
Revamp of Wireless/Public Networks
The wireless/public networks were revamped to provide four networks for
users to access the Internet and some of Mason’s networks:
• Bring Your Own Device (BYOD): Allows devices full access to the
Internet; access to Mason systems is equivalent to that of any off campus
Internet device
• Guest: Provides limited access to the Internet; has Internet equivalent
access to Mason systems
• Eduroam: Allows users from any participating university limited access to
the Internet; has Internet equivalent access to Mason systems (Mason users
have similar access at participating universities)
• Public Print: Allows Mason associated users to place printers on the
network for access from both wired and wireless devices
PROJECTS THAT IMPROVE INFORMATION SECURITY
• Improved PatriotPass password reset process
• Improved student password security
• Upgraded email spam filtering software
• Replaced the Juniper Virtual Private Network (VPN) with the Cisco AnyConnect VPN
• Added screen saver (session) lock for workstations
• Completed university-wide Payment Card Industry Compliance certification
• Reviewed university security controls to enable Federal compliance
• Implemented a licensed application firewall (to block unauthorized access) to improve protection for 295 WordPress sites
16
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
Enhancing Website Security
During the spring, the password website (password.
gmu.edu) underwent changes for enhanced security
and user protection. These changes included adding
an alternative email address field for users. After the
changeover, all users received a one-time prompt to
provide an additional email address and birthdate.
The new option allows users to set an external email
address for authenticating to the site in the event
of an expired/forgotten password.
17
144Projects
Administrative Systems .................... 19%
Infrastructure ........................................ 19%
Processes ............................................... 15%
Security ................................................... 15%
Academic ................................................ 11%
Other/Multiple ...................................... 21%
24%37%
Percentage
of projects
sponsored by our
Mason Partners
Percentage of
projects deemed
critical to Mason
Goals by ITGG
Information Technology Governance Group (ITGG)ITGG is comprised of senior leadership representing the colleges and nine functional units. The charter of the ITGG is to review and prioritize new ITS projects while providing strategic insight for ITS leadership. Since its inception, ITGG has:
• Defined five core business drivers for ITS projects
• Developed, piloted, and implemented prioritization criteria for ITS projects
• Prioritized all new strategic initiative and capital investment ITS project submissions in the last 12 months
• Established the project list as the baseline for prioritization work conducted by other governance sub-committees
• Provided advisory services to ITS
18
FY2016BY THE NUMBERS
3,520Wireless access
points
93,304BI reports delivered
789MicroStrategy users
483Servers213
Non- virtual
270Virtual
7,576Lynda.com users
19,969Lynda.com
courses viewed
25,129Office 365 accounts
my34,748
Avg. monthly users
ITS Service
$4,305,105
PatriotTech annual sales
1,080,000,000Inbound email messages
21,176Avg. monthly
Bb mobile users
31,415Avg. monthly
Bb usersBb
19
~50,000Banner users
INB
ITS Support
235Classroomssupported
83%Technology enhanced
classrooms
151Buildings
Bb 8,174Blackboard courses
2,474Videoconferencing & Telepresence hours
1,407Videoconferencing & Telepresence events
76Video Enhanced
Courses supported
42,384Support
Center calls
16,034Collaborate
web sessions
885Unique Smart Data users
20
110,966Computer lab logins
45,682VCL reservations
14,086STAR lab users 4,354
Virtual Computing Lab (VCL) users
6,388Collaborative
Learning Hub users
CLUB
Quick Facts of Special Note
• To improve wireless coverage in the Johnson Center,
ITS network engineers installed new cabling and
activated over 100 new access points
• Patriot Computers was renamed Patriot Tech. The
retail store continues to sell the same computer-
related merchandise, but the new name reflects the
variety of products sold and services provided to
Mason customers
• The Technology Support Services desktop team in
Fairfax received national recognition, making the
HDI Elite 50 for Customer Service for the second
consecutive year
Lab Usage
FY2017 ITS GOALS
21
1. Build Resources
a. Continue support for Mason partnership with INTO • EngagewithINTOtodesignandbuild13 additional classrooms on the Fairfax Campus • Developadditionalprogramsfordataexchange with INTO for reporting
2. Strengthen & Support Organization
a. Support implementation of the New Budget Model • Providedataanalysisandreportingfunctionality
b. Participate in the ongoing Student Experience Redesign project • Basedontheresultsandrecommendations,participateintheeffortto develop the institutional roadmap
c. Leverage the existing Banner administrative system to full potential • CompleteastudyontheBanneradministrativesystemtoexplore opportunities to maximize its effectiveness
d. Partner with Facilities Management to create an integrated network infrastructure improvement plan and roadmap • AddressdeficienciesidentifiedbytheWTCNetworkAssessment and roadmap • CombineWTCroadmapwithFacilitiesManagementplantandinfrastructure improvement and/or maintenance plans
e. Improve effectiveness and efficiencies of Information Technology Services • ImplementthenewITservicemanagementtooltoautomateworkflowandto better track service delivery metrics • Completecostofservicesstudy
f. Increase Blackboard use by faculty • InpartnershipwiththeOfficeoftheProvostandmembersofthefaculty, promote the use of Blackboard
g. Continue to strengthen Mason’s information security • CompletetheITSecurityroadmap,incorporatingrecommendationsfrom Internal Audit Security Review • Procureandinstallanintrusionprotectionsystem • OperationalizeITgovernance,risk,andcompliancetool(Modulo)across Mason IT systems
h. Leverage GMU-TV to improve ITS transparency and partnership with the Mason Community
22
3. Strategic Initiatives
a. Support implementation of Wiley partnership to enhance online education for graduate studies • PartnerwiththeOfficeoftheProvosttoenablesystemchangestoimplement new online programs
b. Migrate Mason’s web presence to the new Web Content Management System • ParticipatewiththeOfficeofCommunicationsandMarketingtoprovide support to move to a new content management system for the Mason websites
c. Complete a multi-year Information Technology Services (ITS) Strategic Plan • WorkwiththeMasoncommunitytocommunicateandobtainbuy-into the plan • CreateroadmapsforkeyareasinITS • Workwiththeuniversity’sresearchcommunityandtheOfficeofResearchto develop a research cyberinfrastructure plan
d. Develop a data strategy working with the Business Intelligence (BI) Steering Committee • WorkwiththeofficesofEnrollmentandInstitutionalResearch&Reporting to develop and implement a model and implementation plan for management reporting, operational reporting, and analytics • ReviewandobtainsupportfromtheBISteeringCommittee
e. Create a plan to leverage cloud services • IdentifyopportunitiesforcloudatMasonthatwilladdvaluetoexisting services and optimize resources
f. Support the development of Mason Strategic Plan Metrics
FY16 FY17 FY18 FY19 FY20
ITS 2017–2020 STRATEGIC PLAN
ITS Annual Operational Plan
ITS Group/Area Operational Planning
ITS Annual Report
Guides/Informs
Guides/Informs
Guides/Informs
Guides/Informs
Baseline Real-Time Monitoring and Scorecards Assessment
Services, Supports, Major Events, Commitments, Looking Ahead
Looking Ahead, 3-6 Month Roadmap for ITS
MASON 2014–2024 Strategic Plan/President, Provost, SVP Annual Goals
23
IMPLEMENTING THE FOUR-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN
STRATEGIC PLANNING
ITS embarked on the development of a strategic plan in May
2015 to support the university’s 10-year plan. The initial focus was on
creating new Mission, Vision, Principles, and Values statements to establish
a common understanding of high-level goals, values, and behaviors. In addition,
ITS began data-gathering and interviewed more than 100 stakeholders from across the
university about their current and anticipated challenges and how ITS could best help
them meet evolving needs. We look forward to completing the planning process this next
fiscal year. “We want to give people a target. To show this is why we are here and this is
what we are working for,” said Randy Anderson, Director of Process and Planning. The
team, using Gartner Consulting’s recommendations, aims to improve ITS processes, the
understanding of ITS’s role, and how impact is measured. Updates are provided online
at its.gmu.edu/strategic-plan.cfm
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